Maria Eagle (Garston and Halewood, Labour) To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate her Department has made of the minimum order of intercity express programme carriages which would be needed to justify a UK assembly facility.

Theresa Villiers (Minister of State (Rail and Aviation)The Department for Transport welcomes the decision by Hitachi to build a new factory at Newton Aycliffe in County Durham where the new trains will be assembled.

The minimum order of IEP carriages which would be needed to justify a UK assembly facility is a matter for Hitachi, and not the Department, to decide.

Quite so minister, quite so.

But then why did DfT tell Sir Andrew Foster's review that a build of 685 vehicles justified a possible UK manufacturing facility?